Nash calls for more communication on Dundalk Simon Community units

Councillor Robert Nash called for more communication around the proposed Simon Community development at the Quay during Tuesday’s monthly meeting of Dundalk Municipal District.

The Fine Gael councillor said that residents on Barrack street got leaflets through their door from the Simon Community detailing plans for the project, while residents in other nearby areas did not.

“Some residents got a leaflet through their door last week in Barrack Street, but residents in Hyde Park and Peter Street weren’t notified and obviously they’re skeptical down there about the plans for the new units.

“The people down there are looking for a meeting with the Simon Community and yourselves going forward. I hope that will happen for them because there’s great concern down there about the housing [plans].

“It’s an older community down there, a lot of them maybe wouldn’t have access to computers and maybe would only be getting word from their neighbours and rumours are starting so you really need to do something officially.”

He added: “They’re skeptical now and think there’s something going on behind their backs and that’s what we don’t want.”

John Lawrence, Senior Executive Officer with the Housing Section told the meeting that:

“Notices were issued by Dublin Simon Community just to advise. We did say that this is a planning process that we are now entering into. There is a requirement to put up site notices and we did ask Dublin Simon to leaflet some of the area but we didn’t say that they had to do all those areas.”

Mr Lawrence said he would contact the Simon Community to see if something could be arranged, adding: “It’s now a very public planning process . An application has been submitted, any resident or anyone in this country can make a contribution to that.”

He also said that he’d look into the possibility of a meeting after the planning process.